Reply #14: Fresh Kills Landfill....what the hell kind of macabre name is that for a business? [View All]

[whistle]

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ABOUT FRESH KILLSABOUT THE COMPETITIONPUBLIC FORUMSPONSORS & PARTNERS
Fresh Kills Reference
Landfilling Overview
The Neighborhoods





ABOUT FRESH KILLS

Fresh Kills Landfill is located on the western shore of Staten Island. Approximately half the 2,200-acre landfill is composed of four mounds, or sections, identified as 1/9, 2/8, 3/4 and 6/7 which range in height from 90 feet to approximately 225 feet. These mounds are the result of more than 50 years of landfilling, primarily household waste. Two of the four mounds are fully capped and closed; the other two are being prepared for final capping and closure. Fresh Kills is a highly engineered site, with numerous systems put in place to protect public health and environmental safety. However, roughly half the site has never been filled with garbage or was filled more than twenty years ago. These flatter areas and open waterways host everything from landfill infrastructure and roadways to intact wetlands and wildlife habitats. The potential exists for these areas, and eventually, the mounds themselves, to support broader and more active uses. With effective preparation now, the city can, over time, transform this controversial site into an important asset for Staten Island, the city and the region.

Before dumping began, Fresh Kills Landfill was much like the rest of northwest Staten Island. That is, most of the landfill was a salt or intertidal marsh. The topography was low-lying, with a subsoil of clay and soils of sand and silt. The remainder of the area was originally farmland, either actively farmed, or abandoned and in stages of succession.

Although Fresh Kills Landfill is not a wholly natural environment, the site has developed its own unique ecology. Today, even with four large landfill mounds on the site, forests, tidal wetlands, and freshwater wetlands still exist. One of the fundamentals of nature, adaptation, is demonstrated in the evolution of these natural features in an unnatural context.

Perhaps most representative of nature's ability to adjust to man's presence is the Isle of Meadows. Located at the mouth of the Fresh Kills Estuary, the Isle of Meadows was first harvested for its salt hay. The island then served as a repository for spoils from channel-dredging operations. Most importantly, it now serves as a source of ideal materials for herons constructing nests.

The potential value of this site is increased by the fact that the Fresh Kills Estuary lies on the Atlantic Flyway. The Flyway is a path used each spring and fall by many bird species as they migrate to the north and south. The Fresh Kills Estuary, designated by New York State as a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat, is one of the largest tidal wetland ecosystems in the region. <more>

http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dcp/html/fkl/ada/about/1_0.html